How Do You Handle Fights During A Show?

[swany]

This can be a problem, whenever you KJ or DJ a show at a bar, and or mostly any event with alcohol. Some places I work want you to quit the music, others ask you what should be done.
Here is a suggestion, stop the music and all the attention goes to the mixup.
A. This promotes awareness for people standing by in the line of fire so they can move out of the way and not get hurt accidently.
B. This promotes awareness for others to get involved. There by getting the fight to a higher level.
C. This promotes awareness so the management of the bar can do something about the situation.

THINGS I HAVE PONDERED DOING AT THE START.

A. Make the whole bar aware by turning up the mic and announce it. I DO NOT THINK THIS IS A GOOD IDEA
B. Crank the music way up, hoping even the participants will stop and wonder what is going on. I RUN THREE WAY PEAVEY CABS AND A 1200 WATT AMP.
C. My personal favorite, crank up the mic and the music and play the national anthem and promote a sing along. Hopefully defusing the situation.

NOW I KNOW THAT ANYTHING CAN NOT HANDLE ALL SITUATIONS, I JUST WANT TO KEEP THE FUN GOING DURING MY SHOWS WITH THE MINIMUM OF STOPPAGE. PROMOTE FUN AND LAUGHTER DIFFUSE THE SITUATIONS.

THE BIG QUESTION, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO GIVE ALL YOUR THOUGHTS AND PERSONAL EXPIERIENCE ON ALL THE ABOVE, WITHOUT ARGUMENTIVE IDEAS FROM ONE ANOTHER. JUST SHOULD WE BE INVOLVED? OR SHUT IT DOWN AND LET THE BAR HANDLE IT? THIS IS GETTING TO BE A PROBLEM IN OUR AREA, MY SHOWS HAVE THE LEAST OF THIS GOING ON, BUT HAVE HAD THREE FIGHTS IN ONE NIGHT A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO. (ALL FIGHTS THE COMBATANTS WERE WOMEN!!!!) THE OTHER KJS IN THE AREA ARE GETTING THE MEN FIGHTING. WAS IT SOMETHING I SAID TO GET WOMEN GOING HA HA.

[bobcox- with the Lord]

I just keep on doing what i am doing and let the bar handle it.
I WILL DEFEND MY EQUIPMENT AND MY WIFE.( in that order )
we do not play anywhere that they let trouble go on. or they refuse to bar trouble makers.
if we have trouble we can bar them. thats the agreement we setup when we take the job.
the less trouble in the bar the more good cust you get. Bob

[djmadmaxx]

I once diffused a fight by playing "I Love You (barney Theme)" and got on the mic and said that i will keep playing it until they stop it..... they stopped quickly and then had a good laugh. Most places i play have a bouncer and they are usually on top of things before they get out of hand.

[mindonstrike]

The first thing I do is turn down the music (but not off unless the bar personel ask me too) the singer has usually stopped singing by now anyway. One bar I used to play at it was standard procedure to kill the music in the event of a fight.

I once diffused a fight by playing "I Love You (barney Theme)"

I like that idea although I'd probably have to keep it on my playlist all the time because the fights are usually pretty quick and the bar staff has it under control before I could probably find it(Note to self - suggest barney theme button for Hoster).
I once had a fight that just kept rolling in my direction untill it was right up next to me, I ended up using a chair to hold 'em at bay. Got a lot of laughs from customers for several days after that about how funny it looked, me defending my equipment with a chair.
The nice thing about Hoster is since I'm not constantly messing with disks I can spend a lot more time people watching so when it looks like words are being exchanged I can notify the bar staff right away and they can usually defuse things before they get started.


Sam

[tymzend]

Man, I don't know quite how many fights I've broken up. Mainly because I have been the closest one nearby.

The bar manager has given us the authority to launch anyone causing trouble, and sometimes I just handle it myself. Otherwise, I get the doorman's attention, and I cover the door while he does the dirty work.

You fight, you're gone, period.

[sham823]

I Carry A 357 Pistol Loaded With Blanks To The Rowdy Bars. It Is Amazing How Fasts The Fists Stop Flying When 4 Or 5 Quick Burst Of A 357 Goes Off. Common Sense - Once The Silence Is There, The One Who Was Getting The Worst Of It Has A Chance To Back Away. And There Will Always Be 4 Or 5 People To Calm The Other Participant Down. The Only Problem I Have Ever Had Was When One Of The Patrons Came Up To Me With His Own 357 And Told Me He Was Gonna Back Me Up. Itook A Little Bit Of Explaining To Him That Mine Was Just Blanks And We Didn't Really Need To Shoot Anybody. After Explaining It To Him, His Reply Was, "can't I Just Shoot One Of 'em In The Foot?" (formulas To Remember - Good People + Alcahol = Steriod Idiots - - Fast Music=high Intense Behavior - - Slow Music = Put The Drunks To Sleep)
A Good Tip Is To Always Have Some Slow Love Songs In Your Backround Music To Lower The High Of The Fast Butt Kickin' Stuff That Everybody Gets Worked Up On.

[bjswaim]

I DON'T handle fights if they happen to break out. I'm not hired to be a bouncer......they don't pay me enough. That is the bars responsibility, not mine. The only thing I do is protect my equipment. And, just as a side note......here in California it is illegal to carry a gun even if you do have blanks. I think you're just looking for trouble playing with that one. What if the guys in the fight had guns and you got shot or other patrons got shot. That would be your fault for brandishing a gun in the first place. Not a smart thing to do.

[LarryGH]

I agree with the person saying my first concern is my wife then my equipment.
Two weeks ago several guys went after a guy backing him against the wall. My $700.00 speaker was wobeling around in the middle of them.
Having my cordless mike in my hand I told my wife to cut the music. As soon as it stopped I pushed inbetween them and shouted into the mike KNOCK IT OFF every one stopped for a moment, so then I said you want to fight take it ouside.
The bar owner stepped in and I stepped out. Then announced that we don't tolerate this kind !/*@#%! and said good night everyone. (The other people were disapointed but It was almost closing time anyway.)

Last week everything went as smooth as silk. I believe most of the people are their to have agood time, and will try to disgorage trouble when they know that the DJ ends the night if trouble starts.

[gduns - with the Lord]

Loud feedback will stop a fight in its tracks. Just turn up the mic till it squeels!

[S. Parks]

The best this is to protect yourself and equipment as best you can, and at all cost don't get involved. The owners of the establishment have the obligation to deal with the problem, not the karaoke host. So if the problem doesn't include you, the best thing to do is step back and don't make yourself part of it.

Last time I checked, carrting a firearm into a bar anywhere in the country, with blanks or otherwise is illegal unless you are permitted to carry it. Not real smart to intimidate a guy with a gun with blanks who might feel compelled to point his at you, and I doubt theirs will have blanks. Frankly it concerns me that anyone would even consider this as an option.

[muzicman144]

I have been playing music for 30 years and have never had a blow passed inside where i'm playing. Don't know where you'all play, but if they have fights I don't play there. One would be a complete idiot to get involve themselves except to protect one's equipment. I have been to places as an observer and seen it happen. Generally its in a place known for this or, not in all cases, a show run inadequatly, or breaking rotation. My advice, work hard, be fair, have great selection of music, which attracts the best singers, most patrons will then listen instead of fighting, and you move up professionally to clubs that absolutely do not allow this

thirty years 4-6 nights a week

[bryant]

More thought-provoking thoughts after reading all these.

What about in clubs or even the private clubs where the only person in authority is one female bartender behind a horseshoe-shaped bar down at the other end of the room?

[gotrich]

Barney I love you I have tried music, feed back, and the others mentioned. The best is barney, most people treat as the chiken dance, most join in, ALL of the laugh, and then they laugh at the two fighting. I had one guy come up after hed been seperated and said dude I counldnt fight I was laughin to hard. PEOPLE LOVE IT!